


Mail Call

by biscuitsandgravy



Category: Free!
Genre: Birthday, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 20:59:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5641753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/biscuitsandgravy/pseuds/biscuitsandgravy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin's going to be a good roommate on Ai's birthday.</p><p>For Ai Appreciation Week!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mail Call

When Ai enters his room, he notices that Rin is already back from swim practice (Ai may or may not have taken a detour to the vending machines for a peach juice). He also notices a pile on his desk that definitely wasn’t there earlier.

“What’s this…?” Ai wonders out loud.

“The receptionist gave me your mail when I passed by,” Rin explains without looking up from his math homework. “Have you been forgetting to pick up your mail all year?” 

Ai’s face lights up as he flips through the envelopes. “No, I just got a bunch of cards from my family,” he said. Rin couldn’t help but look up from his book at how happy Ai sounds. The younger boy was outright grinning.

“Well, are you going to open them?” Rin asks. 

“No, I think I’m going to wait until tomorrow,” Ai said as he lays everything down in a neat pile (a stark contrast to the rest of his desk). Ai begins to remove the scarf and hat he had worn outside as Rin raises his eyebrows.

“Why tomorrow?” Rin almost doesn’t want to ask, but Ai seems so happy; he can’t help it. 

“Oh. Well, my birthday’s tomorrow,” Ai says. “It feels much more festive if I wait.”

And now Rin feels like an ass. He’s been living with Ai for almost a year and had no idea that his birthday is so soon. “Oh. Cool.”

Yeah, Rin’s definitely an ass. But Ai’s happiness doesn’t fade with Rin’s unenthusiastic response, so Rin vows to do better tomorrow.

—

The next day, Rin makes sure to be back in the dorm before Ai (which isn’t hard, considering how much Ai loves going to the store for snacks). He doesn’t have any kind of gift for Ai, but he’s going to make an effort to be much nicer than usual.

Rin hears the lock turn in the door and immediately shoots up out of his seat. He immediately regrets his decision because now it looks like he was waiting for Ai (he was, but he doesn’t want it to look that way). As the door opens, he goes into a stretch- at least now he has a reason for standing up.

“Rin-senpai, is everything okay? Are you sore? Did you cool down after practice?” Is of course the first thing out of Ai’s mouth when he walks in the door. Rin straightens up immediately.

“Yeah. I’m fine,” Rin says. There’s an awkward pause. “Oh…and happy birthday, Ai,” Rin adds.

“Thank you, Rin-senpai!” Ai beams. His smile is infectious, and Rin is relieved. Rin can’t think of many other friends who wouldn’t roll their eyes at his less-than-enthusiastic comment.

“Are you going to open your cards?” Rin asks. Now that the tension is broken, he finds it a little easier to make conversation.

“Yes! Thank you for reminding me!” Ai grabs the stack of cards on his desk and pulls out a small package from his coat pocket. “The front desk had another one waiting for me when I came back today,” Ai explains. Rin reclines on his bed as he watches Ai tear through the envelopes before him. Rin stopped caring about birthday cards some time ago, but he enjoys watching Ai being so enthusiastic (and he’s even willing to ignore the scraps of envelope that are being scattered on the floor).

Ai reads each message carefully, and even shares some of the funny ones with Rin. Rin personally doesn’t care for the cheap puns related to cake, but he makes an effort to chuckle, for Ai’s benefit.

At one point, Ai gasps. “My grandmother sent me ¥2000!” Ai exclaims. He puts that card off to the side of his desk. “I need to write her a thank-you note.”

“Nice,” Rin says offhand. He’s starting to feel a little guilty about not getting Ai anything, especially considering how much the boy seems to appreciate small gestures. Rin watches Ai go through the rest of his cards; he gets a little bit more money, and the small package from earlier contains a pencil case that looks like a monster when it’s unzipped (Ai loves it). All of the cards go in a neat stack, though the ones that came with a gift go in a separate pile. Ai is humming to himself as he puts the money in his wallet. He takes the pencils out of his old pencils case and puts them into his new one. When he finishes, he looks at Rin, blushing slightly.

“Rin-senpai, would you like to go to a restaurant for dinner tonight?” Ai asks shyly. “Since I now have a little bit of spending money.”

Rin snorts; he would bet any sum of money that Ai is going to try to pay for both of them and he can’t let that happen. “Like hell,” Rin scoffs. Ai’s face falls ever-so-slightly and Rin instantly realizes that Ai can’t tell what part he’s objecting to. “I mean….it’s your birthday, I’m not going to let you pay for your own dinner,” Rin corrects. Ai looks unsure, and it makes Rin appreciate how much better he’s gotten to know his roommate that he can tell Ai’s happy smile from his nervous smile.

“A-are you sure? I could ask someone else…” Ai says softly. 

But Rin’s already putting on his coat. “Come on already, I’m starving,” he says. Ai brightens and starts looking for the hat he had been wearing earlier. 

“Would it be okay with you if I invited Mikoshiba-buchou?” Ai asks. Rin groans inwardly, he’d seen enough of that red-haired loudmouth at practice today. But he’s careful not to let his annoyance show.

“I don’t mind,” Rin responds. “There’s no way in hell I’m paying for him, though.”

**Author's Note:**

> Of course Ai's the type to save birthday cards. And write thank-you notes even for small gifts, because he is precious.
> 
> ¥2000 is about $20. Also, [pencil case](http://www.zipitstore.com/monster-pencil-case.html). I could see Ai with the blue or orange one.


End file.
